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1/1 Leadership Styles © The Scout Association 1999 – Item code: FS140093 Mar 96 

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Leadership Styles

As Leaders, we know that we haveresponsibilities to balance:

• the achieving of set tasks,

• the development of a group of people,

• the meeting of the needs of individuals.

That is what a leader has to do. Exactly how aLeader goes about these responsibilities is oftencalled the leadership style. There is not onestandard, correct style for all leaders in allcircumstances at all times. Any group orindividual behaves differently. Tasks aredifferent. Each leader has to recognise thosedifferences and adapt according to the situation.Working in this way is sometimes calledsituational leadership. This means using themost appropriate style to suit the people andcircumstances at particular time. People'sbehaviour depends a great deal on theirknowledge, experience and how they seethemselves, both generally and in relation to atask. There are four standard possibilities which

can be identified:

1 people who are unable to do a task and whoare unwilling to have a go

2 people who are unable to do a task, but arewilling to have a go

3 people who are able to do a task, but whoare unwilling g to do so, either through lackof confidence or lack of motivation

4 people who are able to do a task, and whoare willing to get on with it.

It is necessary for the leader to prepare for anyparticular task that's about to be introduced orundertaken, by knowing exactly what thesituation is likely to be. The task might besomething as simple as introducing a new gameor practical skill, or as complex as planning anexpedition or major project. We should notethat:

• ability can be improved by givingexperience, knowledge, and skills;

• willingness can be improved by givingencouragement and motivation.

If we can describe the situation property, then wecan work out the most appropriate style ofleadership:

1 Telling (directive) - the leader givesspecific step-by step instructions, and keepsclose supervision while those instructionsare followed out .

2 Selling (persuading) - the leader continuesto give specific instructions and to keepsupervision, but also explains reasons,invites suggestions, and supports progress.

3 Sharing (consulting) - the leader activelyencourages members to give suggestionsand try them out, and shares many

responsibilities with them.

4 Delegating - the leader passesresponsibility for problem-solving anddecision-making to members, even ifkeeping a monitoring watching brief.

As a group or individual grows in knowledge,experience, and confidence, they adapt their ownbehaviour. The leader must recognise this, andadapt the leadership style. Alternatively,sometimes a group or individual may appear to

go backwards, perhaps as a result of stress or achange of task or environment. Again, theleader should always be sensitive, and adapt tothe new situation. The same principles applywhether we are leading a group of young peopleor a team of other adults. There is no singlestyle which is consistently ideal. Of course, ifeverything else remained static we shouldalways be trying to share and delegate as muchas possible. However situations do change, andthe leadership style must be adapted to beappropriate.